SLM Limited was incorporated under the Companies Act 1993 on the 22nd day of July 1998. It was founded by three friends and today two remain in the business as directors, each with a shareholding in the company. SLM Limited has a combined experience in the shipping and distribution industry of over 50 years.
In previous positions, the directors of SLM Limited controlled NZ$80 million per annum of freight contracts for a multinational corporate. Contracts were negotiated with all the major shipping lines to and from New Zealand. Some individual contracts were worth in excess of NZ$16 million per annum. Ships were chartered where no existing services existed and new services were created when there was a market need.
They also managed two company-owned vessels trading between New Zealand and Australia. On each voyage, 800 metric tonnes of capacity was marketed to the general public in a venture called “Balance for Profit”. This venture netted an annual profit of up to NZ$3 million per annum for their previous company. The cargo carried included stainless steel tanks, timber, bricks, heavy machinery, trucks and standard containers. In these previous positions, the directors of SLM Limited were instrumental in assisting some shippers develop new markets by daring to try innovative and new things.
This innovation and entrepreneurial activity is continued today:
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SLM Limited worked the first
dedicated, foreign-flagged and crewed Trans-Tasman
vessel in August 1998.
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SLM acts as shipper's agent
to locate and coordinate the best shipping solution.
At the same time SLM acts as Shipping Line’s
agent to locate and coordinate bookings. A true
Win/Win/Win.
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SLM Limited works in a very
close association with several shipping companies
and in particular, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Line and
Mediterranean Shipping Company.
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SLM acts on shippers' behalf
to locate the best methods for shipping containers
to obscure and far away ports using existing
service providers. This involves knowing where
various shipping lines need containers and with
this knowledge, SLM has opened up new markets
for shippers.
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SLM assists many NZ timber
mills in shipping to Australia, USA and the rest
of the world in 20, 40 and 45 foot containers, flat racks
and break-bulk. Once again with different method
SLM has differentiated itself from competitors.
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SLM ships many "out of the
ordinary" cargoes including huge mining equipment
and dump trucks, circus equipment, caravans,
camper vans, fifth wheelers and pleasure boats.
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SLM, through its investment
in Unit & Pallet Protection NZ Ltd, provides
expertise and materials in packaging and protection
of breakbulk cargoes.
In summary, the
directors of SLM Limited are very experienced in
shipping from New Zealand. They know most of the
shakers and movers in the industry. They have the
ability to provide a better and cheaper service to
many shippers, or at least confirm that current shipping
arrangements are very good!
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